1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a containment system for a supercritical water oxidation reactor. In particular, the present invention contains the radioactive or hazardous reactants in the event of a catastrophic failure of the reactor.
2. Discussion of Background
Methods and apparatus for conducting chemical reactions at supercritical conditions are known. See the descriptions in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,594,164 and 4,792,408 both issued to Titmas. Furthermore, there are reaction vessels that are surrounded by protective containments and those that are sunken into a material that can serve as a shield. Both Titmas patents show sunken reaction vessels.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,493, Levin describes a process for producing, continuously and at almost 100% yield, molten, solar cell-grade, elemental silicon by thermal reaction of a gas such as silane (SiH4) in a cylindrical reactor mounted within a containment. The cylinder envelops the reactor apparatus in a inert gas and provides thermal insulation.
Santillie, et al., use a cylindrical reactor surrounded by a cylindrical jacket, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,479, for producing chlorine dioxide by reacting gaseous sulfur dioxide with a metal chlorate in aqueous solution. Heat generated in the reaction chamber is absorbed by water flowing through the annulus between the jacket and the reactor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,852,192 issued to Fassell, et al describes the use of a reactor for the wet oxidation of organic matter. The reactor chamber is subdivided into a plurality of compartments with communicating passages throughout and surrounded by a roughly concentric containment vessel with inlet and outlet ports.
However, there remains a need for a containment system that will prevent the loss of reactants, especially toxic or radioactive reactants, in the event of a major rupture of a reaction vessel while it is operating at high pressure.